Posts: 13

Topic: Pain management

Hi all. So had my first chemo treatment last Friday and so far its been okay. Mostly fatigue. However due to the the very large tumor in my liver I do experience a lot of pain. This is mainly my only symptom with my ICC. I am prescribed hydrocodone though this doesn't seem to help much. I try to limit the amount of medications in general but has anyone found something that works for them? The docs say pain is very common and normal with this disease I would just like to learn how to manage it better if possible... Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks

Re: Pain management

Hi! Glad you are taking to the Chemo but sorry about the pain. I know we repeat this all the time but everyone is different. Teddy had tried Hydrocodone, Fentanyl Patch, but the only thing that ever worked for him was Morphine and you can start with very small dosage. I would call your ONC and ask to try something else. No reason to suffer with that kind of pain these days. Plus the pain drains too much of your needed energy! Much good luck.

THANK YOU FOR LOVING ME! Teddy ~In our hearts forever~ATTITUDE is EVERYTHINGAny suggestion I offer is intended as friendly advice based solely on my own experience. Please consult your doctor for professional guidance.

Re: Pain management

Hi there,

I agree with Lainy that no one should have to go through pain and there are many ways and meds that can help with that. My dad didn;t get a lot of pain but started out on paracetamols 3 times a day then that was changed to codeine based pain meds each day and that worked for him. Your onc will be able to help with this and please let us know what the recommend. Hopefully you will find something soon that works well for you.

Best wishes,

Gavin

Any advice or comments I give are based on personal experiences and knowledge and are my opinions only, they are not to be substituted for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice from a qualified doctor or medical professional.

Re: Pain management

pfox...I agree with Lainy and Gavin, pain control is possible. Most likely you will have to try and test as you go, but I am sure that the physician will prescribe the necessary meds. Remember though that opioids cause constipation which in turn can cause pain as well. Our JeffG used to take a stool softener (up to three per day) and then reduce to two per day and he faired rather well. Again, everyone responds differently.Hugs,Marion

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED NOR IMPLIED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER

Re: Pain management

And just to add to Marion's point re stool softeners, my dad used to take Lactulose morning and night along with the codeine meds and that helped him as well with things on that front.

Best wishes,

Gavin

Any advice or comments I give are based on personal experiences and knowledge and are my opinions only, they are not to be substituted for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice from a qualified doctor or medical professional.

Re: Pain management

Ditto to the comments above. Our oncologist has emphatically stated you should not have to deal with the pain (and my wife, also very large tumor, was in terrible pain). We are using oxycontin (3x/day) to manage the pain and it has been great. This med does add to constipation. So we also take 6 Senecot-S tablets per day plus one dose of Mirilax. And it works.

Re: Pain management

Hi all had second treatment today. Discussed pain management. Nurses all concurred about having stool softeners around the house my onc wasn't there today but she did discuss with dr.lopez up at Ohsu and they recommended Tramodol. I will start tomorrow. Has anyone tried this before? I get quite anxious when starting new meds so any feed back would be much appreciated. Hope everyone is enjoying their day!

Re: Pain management

pfox...personally I don't have any experience with tramadol however; I do know that others have. It has been discussed on the discussion board. Good to hear that you received the o.k. for stool softeners - you might find that some of the pain may have been intensified due to constipation. Hugs,Marion

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED NOR IMPLIED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER

Re: Pain management

Hi Porter,

My daughter was given Tramodol and in her words it made her feel like her face was melting. It just made her feel too druggy so she was switched to Morphine which worked much better. She also took Miralax mixed in a small glass with juice before bed each night for constipation from pain meds. She had a large tumor in her liver as well and had pain in her side and back. Good luck to you.

My beautiful daughter, Lauren Patrice, will live on in my heart forever.

My comments, suggestions, and opinions are based on my experience as a caretaker for my daughter, Lauren and from reading anything I can get my hands on about Cholangiocarcinoma. Please consult a physician for professional guidance.

Re: Pain management

Hi Porter,

There could be some trial error as you put it until you find a med and level that works for you and that you are comfortable with. Some meds work better for others and not so well for some and your onc and doctors will be able to help you find something that is right and works best for you.

Any advice or comments I give are based on personal experiences and knowledge and are my opinions only, they are not to be substituted for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice from a qualified doctor or medical professional.

Re: Pain management

Thanks Porter, glad to be of help.

Any advice or comments I give are based on personal experiences and knowledge and are my opinions only, they are not to be substituted for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice from a qualified doctor or medical professional.

The information expressed is not medical advice. The discussion boards are not intended to replace the services of a trained health professional or to be a substitute for the medical advice of physicians or other healthcare providers. Read the full disclaimer.